Affinity Creative Apps Are Now FREE!!!
Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher have been merged into the all-new Canva “Affinity” app. And it’s FREE!
Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher have been merged into the all-new Canva “Affinity” app. And it’s FREE!
These are professional grade photo editing, design, and document layout tools that everyone can now use for free.
This is a big deal for website owners and developers who want to create optimized photos and graphics for their website.
The Backstory
Back in May 2024, Canva bought Serif (makers of the Affinity creative apps) for an undisclosed amount. Affinity had around 3 million users of its powerful design, photo editing, and layout apps. Affinity apps attracted a large base of creative users by charging a one-time affordable license fee (imagine that), and by making really amazing apps with professional grade features. Canva bought Affinity to better compete with Adobe which charges monthly and annual subscription fees to use its apps.
Since the sale, the Affinity team has re-imagined their apps and succefully merged them into a single “Affinity” app. Currently available on Windows and Mac, the Affinity app will be coming to iPad soon. The Affinity app now uses “one universal file type”, and features Canva integrations that allow users to quickly export designs to their Canva account. Canva Premium subscribers can use AI-powered Canva editing tools like image generation, photo cleanup, and instant copy directly within the Affinity app.
Older versions 1 and 2 of the standalone Affinity apps will still work for users who has previously purchased them. But, those legacy apps will not be updated going forward.
The Threat
Canva has promised the new Affinity app will be “Free Forever.”
Like Adobe, Canva also uses a subscription business model–locking most of its capabilities behind subscription paywalls. This raises concerns that Affinity is likely to adopt Canva’s subscription-based approach.
Canva and Affinity have published a joint pledge promising to keep Affinity software “fair, transparent, and affordable.” This includes “the perpetual licenses that have made Affinity special.”
While fulfilling that pledge would actually be great for business, there is a long history of corporate lust for profits choosing to kill off revenue growth pollinators like free offerings and their loyal niche supporters.
The Upside
Overall this is a big deal for anyone who owns or manages a website.
Creating web optimized images and graphics requires special tools and skills. Making these tools free may lead to more websites having better images and graphics.
Notes
The new Affinity app will open files made with the legacy Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher apps. Those legacy apps cannot open files made in the new Affinity app.
There is a small learning curve using the new Affinity app for legacy app users. Though most of the features and workflows are unchanged.
A key benefit of the new Affinity app is the ability to move between the design, photo, and layout features instantly in the same app. (Cool!)
I highly recommend trying the new free Affinity app.
Or, if you were an Affinity user, login to your Affinity account and download copies of the legacy apps to save and use.
Get the new Affinity app here: https://www.affinity.studio/
Enjoy!